Ukrainian Drones Hit 250 mph as Starlink Limits Lifted After Week of Chaos

The speed cap that held Ukrainian military drones to a crawl for over a week was lifted on Saturday, restoring full-throttle satellite connectivity to the front lines. Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced that monitoring systems now show stable connections for objects moving faster than 250 mph.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that checks verified both standard Starlink and the military-grade Starshield service are operating at the required speed. "Now the speed is what we need," Zelenskyy told reporters. "The restoration began last night, and in the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use this connection. This is very important."

The temporary restrictions, which began last week, caused immediate operational problems. Ukrainian commanders reported losing drones and facing disrupted missions during the period when the satellite speeds were throttled. The disruption forced a halt to fast-moving equipment that relies on high-speed data links for navigation and control.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the restored service is vital for front-line logistics and for defending against reactive "Shaheds." These Iranian-made drones are regularly launched by Russia, and Ukraine requires high-speed connectivity to track and intercept them effectively.

The technical fix arrives at a moment of renewed diplomatic activity. U.S. envoys launched a new push to end the war, with Russia agreeing on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow also agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the Kherson region that was brokered by first lady Melania Trump.

The satellite outage added friction to an already strained relationship between Kyiv and Washington. Tensions had risen following a reported deal between President Donald Trump and Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Khmara credited "direct dialogue" and Zelenskyy's diplomacy for resolving the issue, stating it mattered most for the military's work in drones, logistics, and communications.

Uncertainty remains over who ordered the interruptions to the system built by Elon Musk's company. Trump has maintained he did not make the call, while also saying Musk should not be blamed. Zelenskyy thanked Americans and partners for taking the issue seriously, but the question of command authority over the satellite network persists.